27 Oktober 2012

US to Supply Cut-Price Weaponry to Thailand

27 Oktober 2012

US offers to Thailand : two second-hand Oliver Hazard Perry class frigates, five new F-16 fighter, three new Blackhawk helicopters and a large number of second-hand Humvee military vehicle (all photos : fas, xairforces, keyaero, army recognition)

Thailand
will receive heavily discounted military equipment from the US Department of
Defense, including retired warships and F-16 fighter jet engines, to help
cement military ties.

Thailand
is a major non-Nato ally of the US
and the department wants to recognise that friendship by selling weaponry
selected from its Excess Defense Articles (EDA) programme, a Thai military
source said.

The EDA programme was set up to sell off excess military
items to other countries, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation
Agency website.

In addition to five new F-16 fighter jet engines which have
been offered for sale to the Royal Thai Air Force, the US has also offered to
sell 1,150 Humvee military vehicles to the army that were previously deployed
in Iraq.

The US
has also offered three new Black Hawk helicopters to the army with a price tag
of 1.3 billion baht each, the source said.

The navy will be offered two second-hand Perry Class
frigates - general purpose warships designed back in the mid-1970s with a displacement
of 4,100 tonnes."All of these items will be sold at very special, cheap
prices," the source said.

"The discussion did not go into details. The offer is
amicable."

The offer follows talks in Washington last week between permanent
secretary for defence Gen Thanongsak Apirakyothin and US defence assistant
secretary Marc Lippert.

Thailand
and the US
will mark 180 years of bilateral relations next year.

Defence minister Sukumpol Suwanatat and armed forces chiefs
are due to meet US defence
secretary Leon Panetta next month during his Thailand visit.